1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is generally related to an electrical wire connector and, more particularly, to an electrical wire connector for connecting a conductor with an electrical spring contact by means of two opposingly biased leaf springs that are operable between a clamping engaged configuration and a disengaged configuration by a manually operable slide release.
2. Background of the Invention
The standard device for connecting wires in a domestic electric power distribution wiring system is the wire nut. Two (or more) conductive wires, each comprising a metal core and an insulating sleeve, are stripped at the ends that are to be connected to expose end segments of the metal core and the exposed end segments are inserted into the wire nut and the wire nut is twisted onto the ends of the wires. In this manner, the stripped end segments of the cores are twisted around each other and held in firm, electrically conductive, contact.
The wire nut is applied by hand, and in a typical installation an electrician might have to apply one hundred or more wire nuts. Application of a wire nut requires a substantial manual effort and the repeated twisting motion involved in applying wire nuts may induce repetitive stress injury. Furthermore, while these connectors do not require elaborate tools to terminate the wires on the connector, the nature of the connector itself does not allow wires to be connected or disconnected with power applied because such connectors expose bare, possibly live wires, when removed.
There are many techniques and means for connecting electrical wires or conductors to various electrical devices. One such means is a spring clamp contact which may be comprised of a spring and a contact member. In such devices, the spring is deflected to allow an electrical wire to be inserted between the deflected spring and the contact member. When the spring is released, it tends to return to its pre-deflection position, thereby trapping and securing the electrical wire against the contact member.
The deflection of the spring in such conductors may be accomplished by a variety of techniques. One technique involves the use of a tool, such as a screwdriver, to deflect the spring and allow insertion of an electrical wire between the deflected spring and a contact member. The spring is then released, thereby securing the electrical wire against the contact member.
However, in these types of connectors, there are one or more intermediate parts positioned between the spring and the tool used to ultimately cause the spring to be deflected. The use of such intermediate part(s) is problematic in that it requires more parts and may increase the cost and time required to manufacture and assemble a connector. Moreover, the use of additional parts may cause problems if the intermediate parts break or do not properly engage the spring when the tool is pressed against the intermediate parts.
Additionally, in using these types of connectors, it is important that the tool used to deflect the spring, for example, a screwdriver, be prevented from slipping off of the spring as the spring is being deflected. If the tool used to deflect the spring slips off of the spring, it may become lodged or trapped between the partially deflected spring and the housing of the connector. Such occurrences can result in damage to the spring, the contact and the housing, either when the tool slips off or when attempts are made to withdraw the trapped tool. If the tool is not prevented from slipping off the spring as it is depressed, workers installing the electrical wires into the connector will have to take other steps to attempt to insure that the tool does not slip off of the spring as it is being deflected. For example, the workers may be able to slightly manipulate the angle of the tool with respect to the spring as the spring is being deflected. Whatever techniques may be employed by workers to attempt to prevent the tool from slipping off the spring, it will likely require more time to install the electrical wires into the conductor than would be required if a spring clamp contact has a mechanism to prevent the tool from slipping off the spring in the first place.
U.S. Pat. App. Pub. 2004/0157484 to Louzon discloses a connector wherein a bracket has opposing first and second electrically conductive portions extending perpendicularly to the insertion passage for an insulated electrical wire.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,074,241 to Patel et al. discloses an electrical connector wherein a free end of a spring is adapted to be directly engaged by a tool inserted into the connector housing to deflect the spring thereby allowing insertion of an electrical wire into the connector adjacent an electrical contact.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,261,120 to Beege et al. discloses a device having a resilient V-shaped electrical contact comprising a support leg mounted generally parallel with and spaced from a bus bar and a clamping leg for biasing an electrical conductor toward lateral electrical engagement with the bus bar.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,280,233 to Beege et al. discloses a resilient clamping member that biases a conductor into electrical engagement with an electrical contact wherein the clamping member has a lateral offset terminal portion and an external release tool is utilized to disengage the clamping edge.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,336,824 to Sorig discloses a screwless junction box or terminal connector including a housing containing a chamber in which are mounted an electrical contact and a clamping spring, the clamping spring being operable to bias a conductor toward electrical engagement with the contact, characterized by the provision of a slide member that is manually operable from a released position toward an inserted position, thereby to displace the clamping leg toward a disengaged position relative to the electrical contact, whereby the conductor may be inserted directly within the housing chamber. A restoring spring biases the slide member toward its released return position.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,851,967 to Miyoshi et al. discloses a wire connector having a manipulation button that when pushed, a manipulation portion of the button pushes down on one side of a leaf spring and the button is capable of being locked into position.
The present invention is directed to a connector that uniquely solves or reduces some or all of the aforementioned problems found within the field of art of electrical wire connectors.